Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
  • G01B3/00—Measuring instruments characterised by the use of mechanical techniques
  • G01B3/10—Measuring tapes
  • G01B3/1041—Measuring tapes characterised by casings
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
  • G01B3/00—Measuring instruments characterised by the use of mechanical techniques
  • G01B3/10—Measuring tapes
  • G01B3/1061—Means for displaying or assisting reading of length measurement
  • G01B3/1069—Electronic or mechanical display arrangements
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
  • G01B3/00—Measuring instruments characterised by the use of mechanical techniques
  • G01B3/10—Measuring tapes
  • G01B3/1084—Tapes combined with arrangements for functions other than measuring lengths
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
  • G01B3/00—Measuring instruments characterised by the use of mechanical techniques
  • G01B3/10—Measuring tapes
  • G01B3/1084—Tapes combined with arrangements for functions other than measuring lengths
  • G01B3/1094—Tapes combined with arrangements for functions other than measuring lengths for recording information or for performing calculations
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
  • G01B3/00—Measuring instruments characterised by the use of mechanical techniques
  • G01B3/10—Measuring tapes
  • G01B3/1041—Measuring tapes characterised by casings
  • G01B2003/1053—Tape exit slots, e.g. shape or exit direction
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
  • G01B3/00—Measuring instruments characterised by the use of mechanical techniques
  • G01B3/10—Measuring tapes
  • G01B3/1084—Tapes combined with arrangements for functions other than measuring lengths
  • G01B3/1092—Tapes combined with arrangements for functions other than measuring lengths for performing length measurements and at least one other measurement of a different nature, e.g. bubble-type level

Definitions

• the invention is in the field of measuring devices in general, measuring devices for measuring angle and/or length measurements in particular, and a method for programming a soft feature key of an electronic device.
• Craftsmen such as builders, carpenters, plumbers, and the like take angle and/or length measurements during the course of their work which they then use, for example, for selecting an item in accordance with a measured length, cutting an item to a desired length, and the like.
• Various measuring devices have been proposed in the art including inter alia US Patent 4,213,035 to Washizuka et al, US Patent 4,658,134 to Okumura, US Patent 5,007,176 to Huang, and US Patent 5,628,120 to Serenius to facilitate taking angle and/or length measurements.
• the present invention is directed toward the provision of added functionality to electronic devices in general, measuring devices for taking angle and length 5 measurements in particular, and digital tape measures in even greater particularity.
• the first aspect of the present invention is directed toward a tape measure with means for providing a user discernible indication of the orientation of its tape in an extended measuring state relative to a predetermined orientation, for example, the i o horizontal for facilitating the taking of accurate measurements .
• the second aspect of the present invention is directed toward a digital tape measure with means for reading out measurements for facilitating the taking of measurements in circumstances which are not conducive to the taking of
• the third aspect of the present invention is directed toward a digital tape measure with means for transmitting measurements to a remote device thereby 20 precluding the need for their being written down during the course of their being taken.
• the fourth and last aspect of the present invention is directed toward the provision of means for customizing an electronic device having one or more finger 25 depressible soft feature key to a user's particular requirements by way of downloading user specified functions from a host computer thereby paving the way for user customization of simpler, cheaper, and more reliable electronic devices in terms of the number of soft feature keys.
• Fig. 1 is a pictorial representation of a digital tape measure in accordance with the present invention for use with a digitizer and a host computer;
• Fig. 2 is a cross section view of the tape measure of Figure 1 along line II-II;
• Fig. 3 A is a front pictorial representation of a digital tape measure in accordance with the present invention having a digitizer integrally formed therewith;
• Fig. 3B is a rear pictorial representation of the tape measure of Figure 3 A.
• Fig. 4 is a pictorial representation of an analog tape measure in accordance with the present invention.
• a digital tape measure 11 for use with a digitizer 12 and a host computer 13 linked up to the Internet 14 and connected to a printer 16.
• the tape measure 11 includes a handheld portable housing 17 with a side wall 18.
• the housing 17 accommodates a rotatable member 19 rotatable about an axis of rotation 21, and having a portion protruding from the side wall 18.
• the rotatable member 19 is formed with a diametrical channel 22 having a trailing portion 22 A converging towards the axis of rotation 21.
• the housing 17 accommodates a spring biased reel 23, and a tape 24 with an end hook 26 and being tractable over three rotatable guide rollers 27, 28 and 29 and through the channel 22 from a normally retracted state wound on the reel 23 to an extended measuring state relative to the housing 17 along a direction of extension A.
• An angular displacement B of the tape 24 relative to the housing 17 when held stationary causes a concurrent rotation of the rotatable member 19 about its axis of rotation 21.
• the trailing portion 22A ensures that the direction of the tape 24 extending between the guide roller 29 and the axis of rotation 21 is unaffected by a rotation of the rotatable member 19.
• the tape measure 11 includes a slidable ON/OFF button 31, control circuitry 32, and a display 33 having a left display field displaying an exemplary 23 cm length measurement of the extension of the tape 24 relative to the housing, a middle display field displaying an exemplary 41° angle measurement of the angular displacement B of the tape 24 relative to the horizontal, and a right display field displaying an exemplary 27° angle measurement of the angular displacement B of the tape 24 relative to a user determined orientation.
• the length measurement on the left display field of the display 33 is provided by an encoder 34 measuring the length of tape 24 passing over the guide roller 28 as it is outwardly pulled to its extended measuring state.
• the angle measurement on the middle display field of the display 33 is provided by an inclinometer 36 measuring the angle of rotation of the rotatable member 19 corresponding to the angular orientation B of the tape 24.
• the control circuitry 32 can also illuminate a LED 37 and/or issue a series of beeps over a speaker 38 when the tape 24 coincides with the horizontal.
• the angle measurement on the right display field of the display 33 is provided by an encoder 41 which is set by use of a RESET key 39.
• the tape measure 11 includes a slidable SPEAKER ON button 42 and the control circuitry 32 includes speech synthesizing capability for enabling the reading out of values displayed on the display 33 over the speaker 38.
• the tape measure 11 includes a SEND key 43 for activating an IR transceiver 44 for transmitting information, namely, angle and/or length measurements, to the digitizer 12.
• the IR transceiver 44 is also employed for receiving user specified functions downloaded from the computer 13 for programming two programmable soft feature keys 46 and The use of the tape measure 11 is as follows:
• a user can initially discern that the direction of extension of the tape coincides with the horizontal (the middle display field reads 0°) or the vertical (the middle display field reads 90°) for displaying an accurate horizontal or vertical length measurement in the left display field. Thereafter, he can angularly displace the tape 24 relative to the housing 17 which is kept stationary for displaying an angular measurement to the horizontal in the middle display field.
• a user can initially place the tape measure 11 on an inclined surface and press the RESET key 39 for displaying an angular measurement with respect to the inclined surface in the right display field.
• the user can use the tape measure 11 to transmit measurements one by one to the digitizer 12 programmed to receive measurements of say the lengths of the sides of an object, for example, a door, a window frame, he has to measure in a clockwise direction starting from 12 o'clock.
• the measurements are preferably added as graphic items to circles adjacent each side to be measured so that a graphic including the outline of the object together with the measurements can be transmitted to the computer 13 for printing on the printer 16.
• the user can download functions from the computer 13 to be assigned to the programmable soft feature keys 46 and 47, for example, conversion of meters to inches, storing the last 30 measurements, the adding of two length measurements, etc as selected from an inventory of ready made functions residing on a Website and/or as programmed by himself.
• FIGS 3 A and 3B show a measuring device 51 similar to the tape measure 11 except that it is integrally formed with a digitizer 52 whereby the information stored by the measuring device 51 can be directly transmitted to the computer 13 for printing on the printer 16.
• Figure 4 shows an analog tape measure 61 similar to the tape measure 11 except that in this case it employs a liquid based spirit level like device 62 for providing a visual user discernible indication.
• the spirit level like device 62 contains liquid whose meniscus 63 indicates that the tape 24 is horizontal or vertical when in registration with line P and Q, respectively.
• the orientation sensor can be responsive to the rotation of an entire conventional tape measure (constituting a rotatable member) rotatably mounted in a housing.
• the programming of soft feature keys by way of downloading functions from a host computer is equally applicable to a wide range of electronic devices designed for use in the home, the office, the workshop, etc.
• the IR transceiver can be replaced by other conventional wired or wireless data communication means.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• A Measuring Device Byusing Mechanical Method (AREA)
• Length Measuring Devices With Unspecified Measuring Means (AREA)
• Measurement Of Length, Angles, Or The Like Using Electric Or Magnetic Means (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

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ID=26323865

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (60)

Family Cites Families (20)

• 2000
  • 2000-07-03 EP EP00940718A patent/EP1297305A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-07-03 AU AU2000255616A patent/AU2000255616A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-07-03 WO PCT/IL2000/000383 patent/WO2001004566A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
• 2001
  • 2001-12-26 US US10/025,482 patent/US6658755B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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